By Emily Gonzalez
I think that we should and shouldn’t read this book. We should read the Arabian Nights because it helps us understand the influence of writing on the perception of groups of people and its effect on society. For example, many people know the Disney movie Aladdin, which is derived from The Arabian Nights, but most people don’t know where the tale is inspired from. In addition to this, the book allows us, as 21st-century people, to reflect on the views of the writer at the time. Reading this book, which contains heavy material, will allow us to reflect and understand the ethics of writing. The reason that we should refrain from reading this book is its content of racism, sexism, and disturbing scenes. From what we’ve read so far in class, women are viewed as knifing, two-faced, and liars, and I don’t think this is an accurate depiction of women then and now. In the structure of the story’s reality, the men can’t do anything wrong; it is always the woman’s fault. It highlights the archaic view that men are always in the right and women are always in the wrong. The book is definitely written for men and not for women. The values in the book don’t apply to our society, so why read something that openly has racist connotations, sexist remarks, and disturbing scenes? I honestly think that there are both pros and cons to reading The Arabian Nights.
